The photo taken is one the captures the event of the bay of pigs, where trained Cuban refugees gather and attempt to overthrow the communist government of Fidel Castro. This ends up as a failure, where 1,400 Cubans end up imprisoned a few days after Fidel Castro labels Cuba as a communist state. Many theories have suggested that the American government had planned the invasion, but they have firmly suggested otherwise.
Mocada Army Barracks just before they were attacked by Fidel Castro and his armed men on the 26th of July 1956, Santiago de Cuba. Fidel and his men were then sent to jail for 15 years for attempting to overthrow the Batista Government who he accused of being corrupt. The photographer is unknown.
Fidel Castro's arrest in 1953 after the Moncada Attacks on the Batista government. As seen in this photo, Fidel is waiting on his trail of receiving 15 years imprisonment, along with the 80 men that joined him and his brother, Raul. The person to take the photo is unknown.
The drawing appeared in the Georgetown Security Studies Review, where the photo shows the imminent threat of the Cuban Missle Crisis. The missiles are located at the points where the arrows are coming from. It shows the cities that are in range to be potentially threatened by the missiles which caused great tension for 13 long days in 1962. Fidel had the final decision of whether or not to launch the missiles, but after compromises with the US and Soviet Government, the missiles were returned to the Soviet Union. The artist is unknown.
On October the 13th, 1962, American aerial shots were taken over Cuba revealing missile erectors, fuel tank, and oxidizer tank trailers. As listed in Source 2 above, it shows the growing tension between the three nations which ultimately led to a compromise and a near miss in terms of nuclear warfare.
"A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past. They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America? The revolution is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters. I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy, it is gross, it is alienating... because it causes war, hypocrisy and competition. I think that a man should not live beyond the age when he begins to deteriorate, when the flame that lighted the brightest moment of his life has weakened. Men do not shape destiny, Destiny produces the man for the hour. Capitalism is using its money; we socialists throw it away. The revenues of Cuban state-run companies are used exclusively for the benefit of the people, to whom they belong. No thieves, no traitors, no interventionists! This time, the revolution is for real! I believe that all of us ought to retire relatively young." Fidel Castro Fidel Shows his strong opposition held against capitalism, where it becomes one of the main factors of him despising and disagreeing with the Americans. His loyal support of communism only created a situation where the Cold War was on its edge - accepting the missiles from the Soviets and creating fear and tension amongst the countries involved and across the world. Full-scale nuclear war was on the brink, and Fidel's, the Soviet's and America's ideological clashes were to be highly significant in the outbreak of the Cold War.
Biblio details:
Sean Connolly. Castro – A Beginner’s Guide
Notes:
A dumbed-down, detailed biography of Fidel Castro with extremely useful summaries and external links provided, highlighting significant acts throughout his lifetime. The book contains subheadings, keywords and key facts which proves to be very handy
Biblio details:
David, Deutschmann. A Memoir By Fidel Castro. 2012
Notes:
Has useful knowledge and material which can be relied upon, but as it is a memoir, it is slightly underdone as a source itself
Wikipedia provides a large amount of referencing and subheadings which can be useful. However, there seems to be too much going on in the page. It doesn’t show the author (Couldn’t find it) and other relevant information
Background
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on the 13th of August, 1926 in Biran, Cuba. Fidel was the third of six children, having two brothers, Raul and Ramon: and three sisters, Angela, Emma and Agustina. His father was a migrant from Spain, where he owned a sugar plantation and became a successful businessman. His father had a number of marriage breakdowns, and as a result, Fidel was one of six siblings. Fidel was later baptised by the Roman Catholic Church by the age of 8 where he was to board at a Jesuit Private School called La Salle. In 1945, Fidel began studying Law at the University of Havana where he became embroiled in student activism. He had anti-imperialistic and socialist views which had him engrossed in the political side of things. He then tried to run for President running by "honesty, decency and justice", but this was not a success. This platform was based on his outrage of the corruption within Cuban politics. In 1947, Fidel joined the Party of the Cuban People, which opposed communism and sought to overthrow the government in Cuba. In 1948 they lost the election, but Fidel was determined to run again in 1951.
Key Events
Fidel and his fellow members of the Party of the Cuban people established a group called 'the movement'. It was designed to overthrow the Batista government. It was a complete failure, where he and his 150 supports, alongside his brother Raul, attacked the Moncada military barracks on July the 26th, 1953. This only led to arrest and imprisonment of 15 years. Fidel continued to conduct his work behind bars, and in 1955, he was set free after a deal was arranged with the government. He later traveled to Mexico with his brother to plan the revolution of Cuba. On his trip back home via boat, armed with weaponry and men, they were shot at by Batista's guards. The majority of his men perish, whilst he and his brother fled without any injuries. Castro's growing forces across the years caused what's known as 'guerrilla warfare'. He managed to obtain small towns, provinces and agriculture and manufacturing productions. This was essential in growing his publicity and force. So successful that it was, Batista ended up fleeing to the Dominican Republic in 1959 and Castro seized absolute power after the resignation of Jose Miro Cardona, sparking the revolution. Castro pushed to eradicate the American influence in Cuba by having a government that ran closely to Communism and started to work the Soviets. This caused a sense of uneasiness for the Americans, affecting their relationship.
On the 3rd of January, 1961, Dwight Eisenhower broke off diplomatic negotiations between the Cuban government. On April the 14th, Castro then declared Cuba as a Socialist State. Only a few days later, some 1,400 Cuban exiles invaded Cuba in the Bay of Pigs to overthrow the government. It was a complete failure, where over 1,000 were captured. Although the evidence is damning, the Americans still refused to accept that they had anything to do with it. On February the 7th, 1962, the United States imposed a full embargo on Cuba.
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev suggested an idea to Castro of having nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from Florida. Castro agreed to this - and for thirteen days the Americans were on the edge of nuclear war with the Soviets - but due to President Kennedy and his agents, they were able to arrange an agreement where the Americans would not invade Cuba in exchange for the Soviets taking their missiles out of Cuba.
Perspectives
Cuba and Fidel Castro: Strived for a military dictatorship with the influence of Communism, as everyone wanted people to have the rights to education and other necessities. As Capitalism proved to result in inequality, the Cubans grew a strong disliking towards the American's ideology and this is why they were allies with the Soviet Union.
Soviet Union: Communism was the forefront of their powerful nation, where they had Cuba on their terms and America on the edge of warfare. They looked to expand their ideology through entering neighbouring countries forcefully.
America: America was fearful of the growing threat of Communism, and they found themselves in hot water with the Soviets trying to contain them.
Implications
Fidel Castro was able to spark a revolution, but this was at the expense of an embargo that was established between America and Cuba as part of the Cold War. It was signed by President Kennedy on the 3rd of February, 1962. It resulted in a loss of trade and an economic collapse. Before the Cold War, the Cubans were an economic powerhouse under the influence of American Casinoes and other industries. The closure of these places didn't benefit them alongside the difficulty of attracting tourists through accessible flights, but the Cubans generally maintained an optimistic approach as they were pleased about the revolution and disassociating themselves with America.
Presidency and Later Life
Fidel Castro enabled free access to education and hospitals all over Cuba. As a result of his illnesses and operations that he undertook, he temporarily designated his brother Raul as President in 2006. Fidel was unable to get better and retired from his role. Fidel is still alive today and can be found in his home in the capital, Havana.
“Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968) To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’? Robert McNamara’s statement that the Cold War was a “Hot War” is true to some extent. The Cold War, for 13 long days in 1962, was on the edge of Nuclear Warfare, which would have been a catastrophe for the involved nations and the entire world. Although never coming into direct contact, the Cold War had consequences for millions of people – sometimes even resulting through death because of the financial statuses it causes and the divide and seizure of nations. The fact that both the Soviet Union and America didn’t come into direct contact through violent means, suggests it is a Cold War. But on the contrary, the term ‘Hot War’ can be used to describe the ongoing tension between the Nations and accumulation of fiery events. The Soviet Union epitomizes this when they invade neighboring countries trying to impose their ideology on that particular country. These so called ‘Salami tactics’ proved to be costly in terms of the people resisting the Soviet’s forces and costly for private businesses; and this is essentially what the Americans feared the most. In conclusion, the statement that Robert McNamara says is true to some extent as they were on the verge of nuclear warfare, but as there was no direct contact, the war can be seen otherwise. Question two: Why is the Cold War worth remembering? (Hint: you may like to use the criteria for historical significance that are listed above) The Cold War is worth remembering because it still to this day has impacts upon our lives. The Cold War subsided, but out of it, emerged other wars and powers which have had a profound impact on shaping countries and continents. For example, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a result of this, and so was the Iraq-Iran, Afghanistan and North and South Korea War. Several military groups and tyrants have also emerged, some being Saddam Hussain and the Taliban. Although this is extremely significant, the tension between two of the world’s superpowers was suspense and nearly lead to world conflict. The clashing ideologies of Communism and Capitalism had its effect on countless people. It grew to form countries and shape world perceptions. Most importantly, Capitalism were victors because of the strategies they digested. The Marshall plan was much of a success, as was the Berlin airlift and much more. The conflict showed how the world became divided and enthralled in this situation. The Cuban Missile Crisis is an important factor in its historical significance in terms of the power and devastating effect of nuclear warfare. The Cuban embargo gave an indicator of what it is like to cut off healthy trade partners, which ultimately lead to the deterioration of Cuba. It was a prime example of suggesting to us that thriving in this world takes a foundation of strong allies and trade partners; essentially meaning that working together will make things better. This is why the Cold War can be remembered as a mistake the cannot be repeated, so we can avoid conflict, but rather accumulate success.
"A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past.
They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?
The revolution is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters.
I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy, it is gross, it is alienating... because it causes war, hypocrisy and competition.
I think that a man should not live beyond the age when he begins to deteriorate, when the flame that lighted the brightest moment of his life has weakened.
Men do not shape destiny, Destiny produces the man for the hour.
Capitalism is using its money; we socialists throw it away.
The revenues of Cuban state-run companies are used exclusively for the benefit of the people, to whom they belong.
No thieves, no traitors, no interventionists! This time, the revolution is for real!
I believe that all of us ought to retire relatively young." Fidel Castro
Fidel Shows his strong opposition held against capitalism, where it becomes one of the main factors of him despising and disagreeing with the Americans. His loyal support of communism only created a situation where the Cold War was on its edge - accepting the missiles from the Soviets and creating fear and tension amongst the countries involved and across the world. Full-scale nuclear war was on the brink, and Fidel's, the Soviet's and America's ideological clashes were to be highly significant in the outbreak of the Cold War.
Fidel Castro Biography. Biography.com = editors
Wikipedia
Background
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on the 13th of August, 1926 in Biran, Cuba. Fidel was the third of six children, having two brothers, Raul and Ramon: and three sisters, Angela, Emma and Agustina. His father was a migrant from Spain, where he owned a sugar plantation and became a successful businessman. His father had a number of marriage breakdowns, and as a result, Fidel was one of six siblings. Fidel was later baptised by the Roman Catholic Church by the age of 8 where he was to board at a Jesuit Private School called La Salle. In 1945, Fidel began studying Law at the University of Havana where he became embroiled in student activism. He had anti-imperialistic and socialist views which had him engrossed in the political side of things. He then tried to run for President running by "honesty, decency and justice", but this was not a success. This platform was based on his outrage of the corruption within Cuban politics. In 1947, Fidel joined the Party of the Cuban People, which opposed communism and sought to overthrow the government in Cuba. In 1948 they lost the election, but Fidel was determined to run again in 1951.Key Events
Fidel and his fellow members of the Party of the Cuban people established a group called 'the movement'. It was designed to overthrow the Batista government. It was a complete failure, where he and his 150 supports, alongside his brother Raul, attacked the Moncada military barracks on July the 26th, 1953. This only led to arrest and imprisonment of 15 years. Fidel continued to conduct his work behind bars, and in 1955, he was set free after a deal was arranged with the government. He later traveled to Mexico with his brother to plan the revolution of Cuba. On his trip back home via boat, armed with weaponry and men, they were shot at by Batista's guards. The majority of his men perish, whilst he and his brother fled without any injuries. Castro's growing forces across the years caused what's known as 'guerrilla warfare'. He managed to obtain small towns, provinces and agriculture and manufacturing productions. This was essential in growing his publicity and force. So successful that it was, Batista ended up fleeing to the Dominican Republic in 1959 and Castro seized absolute power after the resignation of Jose Miro Cardona, sparking the revolution. Castro pushed to eradicate the American influence in Cuba by having a government that ran closely to Communism and started to work the Soviets. This caused a sense of uneasiness for the Americans, affecting their relationship.On the 3rd of January, 1961, Dwight Eisenhower broke off diplomatic negotiations between the Cuban government. On April the 14th, Castro then declared Cuba as a Socialist State. Only a few days later, some 1,400 Cuban exiles invaded Cuba in the Bay of Pigs to overthrow the government. It was a complete failure, where over 1,000 were captured. Although the evidence is damning, the Americans still refused to accept that they had anything to do with it. On February the 7th, 1962, the United States imposed a full embargo on Cuba.
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev suggested an idea to Castro of having nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from Florida. Castro agreed to this - and for thirteen days the Americans were on the edge of nuclear war with the Soviets - but due to President Kennedy and his agents, they were able to arrange an agreement where the Americans would not invade Cuba in exchange for the Soviets taking their missiles out of Cuba.
Perspectives
Cuba and Fidel Castro: Strived for a military dictatorship with the influence of Communism, as everyone wanted people to have the rights to education and other necessities. As Capitalism proved to result in inequality, the Cubans grew a strong disliking towards the American's ideology and this is why they were allies with the Soviet Union.Soviet Union: Communism was the forefront of their powerful nation, where they had Cuba on their terms and America on the edge of warfare. They looked to expand their ideology through entering neighbouring countries forcefully.
America: America was fearful of the growing threat of Communism, and they found themselves in hot water with the Soviets trying to contain them.
Implications
Fidel Castro was able to spark a revolution, but this was at the expense of an embargo that was established between America and Cuba as part of the Cold War. It was signed by President Kennedy on the 3rd of February, 1962. It resulted in a loss of trade and an economic collapse. Before the Cold War, the Cubans were an economic powerhouse under the influence of American Casinoes and other industries. The closure of these places didn't benefit them alongside the difficulty of attracting tourists through accessible flights, but the Cubans generally maintained an optimistic approach as they were pleased about the revolution and disassociating themselves with America.Presidency and Later Life
Fidel Castro enabled free access to education and hospitals all over Cuba. As a result of his illnesses and operations that he undertook, he temporarily designated his brother Raul as President in 2006. Fidel was unable to get better and retired from his role. Fidel is still alive today and can be found in his home in the capital, Havana.“Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)
To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
Robert McNamara’s statement that the Cold War was a “Hot War” is true to some extent. The Cold War, for 13 long days in 1962, was on the edge of Nuclear Warfare, which would have been a catastrophe for the involved nations and the entire world. Although never coming into direct contact, the Cold War had consequences for millions of people – sometimes even resulting through death because of the financial statuses it causes and the divide and seizure of nations. The fact that both the Soviet Union and America didn’t come into direct contact through violent means, suggests it is a Cold War. But on the contrary, the term ‘Hot War’ can be used to describe the ongoing tension between the Nations and accumulation of fiery events. The Soviet Union epitomizes this when they invade neighboring countries trying to impose their ideology on that particular country. These so called ‘Salami tactics’ proved to be costly in terms of the people resisting the Soviet’s forces and costly for private businesses; and this is essentially what the Americans feared the most. In conclusion, the statement that Robert McNamara says is true to some extent as they were on the verge of nuclear warfare, but as there was no direct contact, the war can be seen otherwise.
Question two:
Why is the Cold War worth remembering? (Hint: you may like to use the criteria for historical significance that are listed above)
The Cold War is worth remembering because it still to this day has impacts upon our lives. The Cold War subsided, but out of it, emerged other wars and powers which have had a profound impact on shaping countries and continents. For example, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a result of this, and so was the Iraq-Iran, Afghanistan and North and South Korea War. Several military groups and tyrants have also emerged, some being Saddam Hussain and the Taliban. Although this is extremely significant, the tension between two of the world’s superpowers was suspense and nearly lead to world conflict. The clashing ideologies of Communism and Capitalism had its effect on countless people. It grew to form countries and shape world perceptions. Most importantly, Capitalism were victors because of the strategies they digested. The Marshall plan was much of a success, as was the Berlin airlift and much more. The conflict showed how the world became divided and enthralled in this situation. The Cuban Missile Crisis is an important factor in its historical significance in terms of the power and devastating effect of nuclear warfare. The Cuban embargo gave an indicator of what it is like to cut off healthy trade partners, which ultimately lead to the deterioration of Cuba. It was a prime example of suggesting to us that thriving in this world takes a foundation of strong allies and trade partners; essentially meaning that working together will make things better. This is why the Cold War can be remembered as a mistake the cannot be repeated, so we can avoid conflict, but rather accumulate success.
Timeline:
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1327884/